Ratchet mechanism.



C. H. J ULIAN L .RATGHET MBGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 23. 1910.

f: #.U-.kls PETERS 1.0. PHOTO-l "Tim Patented Dec. 22,1914-u Inventor.'

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CHARLES H. JULIAN, OF MILVAUKEE, "NISCQNSIN, ASSIGNOR TO N. IDURANT C0., OF MILWAUKEE. VISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF 'WISCONSIN'.

RATC-ET MECHANISM.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

Application led July 23, 1910. Serial No. 573,410.

To all whom it may concern Be it lrnown that l, CHARLns H. JULIAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, in the county of h/,iilwaulree and State of li/Visconsin, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Ratchet Mechanism, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof.

lThis invention relates to ratchet mechanism more particularly for automatic counters designed to be connected with rotating or reciprocating parts of printing presses and other machines for accurately registering the number of operations made by such machines, as for example, the number of impressions made by a printing press.

Its main objects are to produce a simple, compact and reliable machine for this purpose, to prevent overthrow due to the momentum of moving parts and consequent inaccuracy incident to rapid operation', and generally to improve the construction and operation of devices of this class.

t consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of parts as hereinafter particularly described and pointed out in the claims, and more particularly7 in the mechanism for transmitting motion to the lirst number wheel from the machine to which the counter is applied, the mechanism for resetting the number wheels and the mechanism for communicating motion from one number wheel to another.

ln the accompanying drawing lilre characters designate the same parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a counting machine embodying the invention, the casing or cover and one of the number wheels being shown in vertical longitudinal section; and Figs. 2, 3 and 4; are vertical cross sections on the lines 2 2, 3 3, and e a respectively, Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. l, a designates shaft rotatably mounted in the end pieces of a frame Y), which forms a part of the casing or inclosure for the counting mechanism, and is provided with a removable cover c. A series of number wheels CZ are loosely mounted on the shaft a within the frame or casing, the cover c of which is formed as usual, with an opening (not shown) through which one row of figures on the several number wheels are exposed to view. Each number wheel is provided on its periphery with a series of uniformly spaced numerals or figures, O to 9 inclusive, and each wheel, except the rst or units wheel, is formed as shown in Figs. l and 3, with an internally serrated rim e. rlhe first or units wheel for convenience may however, be made in this respect like the others, although this is not necessary. On the opposite side each number wheel except the last is formed or provided as shown in Figs. 1 and e, with a mutilated gear consisting preferably as shown in liig. er, of two teeth and a plain concentric rini g coinciding with the points of the teeth of the mutilated gear and having a notch or recess between them.

Between the several number Wheels, gears ft, each having twenty teeth, are loosely mounted on the extended hubs of said wheels, and are provided with spring dogs z' fixed thereto at one end and engaging at the opposite end with the serrated rims of said wheels, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

A rocker shaft j is rotatably mounted in tie ends of the frame or casing b parallel with the shaft c, and on this shaft 7 be- 1Teen the number wheels Z are loosely mounted pinions 7c, each of which works with the mutilated gear f and the gear h of adjacent number wheels.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3, alternate teeth Z of each pinion are cut away to the extent of about half the face of the pinion to clear the rim g of the associated number wheel, while the remaining teeth fm, extend completely across the face of the pinion, and bearing against the rim g, as shown in Fig. et, loch and hold said pinion and the gear It with which it meshes against turning except when the teeth of the mutilated gear f engage the teeth of the pinion. The teeth of the mutilated gear f project toward the opposite gear it beyond the rim g and work with both the wide and narrow teeth Z and m of the pinion.

To the hub of the first or units wheel Z is lined a ratchet wheel n, as shown in Figs. 1 and i2, and on the rocker shaft opposite said ratchet wheel are loosely mounted and confined between two collars o which are fixed on said shaft, a pair of pawls p, having elongated openings g through which said shaft passes, said openings being formed in one of the longer sides of each with notches or offsets engaging with a pin or projection r fixed in one of said collars parallel with the shaft j. These pawls extend from the shaft j on opposite sides of the ratchet wheel n and have oppositely directed teeth held in yielding engagement therewith by a spring s connecting said pawls, as shown in Fig. 2. The rocker shaft j projecting at one end from the frame or casing b is provided with a crank arm t which is connected with a rotating or reciprocating part of the machine to which the counter is applied.

For resetting'the counter or turning the zeros on all the number wheels into line with one another and into position to be exposed to view through the opening in the casing, the shaft a .is formed as shown in Figs. l and 2, with a longitudinal groove or recessed shoulder u, and each of the number wheels is provided with a pivoted pawl o held by a spring w in yielding engagement with said shaft, the hubs of the number wheels being cut away adjacent to the inner ends of the pawls to permit them to be thrown by said springs into engagement with said groove, as shown in Fig. 4.

One end of the shaft a is extended outside of the frame or casing and is provided with a knurled head or knob a2, as shown in Fig. l. This head or knob is movable endwise on the shaft z but is prevented from turning independently thereof by a longitudinal slot in its hub engaging a pin g/ fixed in and projecting from said shaft. It is pressed toward the frame or casing by a spring z and is locked and held in its normal position by a pin 2 projecting therefrom parallel with its axis and engaging with a hole in the adjacent end of the frame or casing. The locking pin 2 and the hole in the frame or casing with which it engages are so located with relation to the groove u in the shaft a and the pawls o on the number wheels, that all the zeros on the several number wheels will be brought into line with one another opposite the opening in the casing when the head or knob is turned a complete revolution, and stopped in its home position by the pin 2 entering the hole in the frame or casing.

ln the operation of the machine the arm t and the shaft j to which it is fixed, are rocked back and forth, and the pawls p are simultaneously moved up and down by the rocking of the pinl r, the teeth on one of said pawls operating during their upward movement to turn the ratchet wheel n which has ten teeth, an interval corresponding with half a tooth, while the tooth of the other pawl yields outwardly against the tension of the spring s and rides over and into engagement with a tooth on the opposite side of the ratchet wheel. During the downward movement of the pawls the tooth on the second pawl turns the ratchet wheel another interval corresponding with half a tooth, thuscompleting a tenth of a revolution of the ratchet wheel and the first or units number wheel to which it is attached. During this downward movement of the pawls the first pawl yields outwardly against the tension of the spring s and rides over and into engagement with another tooth on the ratchet wheel n. rIhe operations above mentioned being repeated, the first number wheel is turned step by step, bringing one numeral or ligure thereon after another into view. During the last tenth of every revolution of each number wheel, as the Zero is brought into vview through the opening in the casing, the mutilated gear engaging with the teeth of the associated pinion Ic, turns said pinion and the gear la with which it meshes, an interval corresponding to two teeth or a tenth of a revolution, thus carrying the next numeral or ligure on the number wheel of the higher denomination into view. These operations are repeated, every revolution of a number wheel of a lower denomination turning a number wheel of the next higher denomination a tenth of a revolution as above explained, as long as the machine with which the counter is connected continues to operate.

A machine with five number wheels as shown byV the drawing, will register any number, from 0 to 100,000.

To reset the machine and bring all the zeros on the several number wheels into line opposite the opening in the casing, the head or knob a: is drawn outward to disengage the locking pin 2 from the hole in the frame or casing, and then turned to the left a complete revolution till the pin 2 is brought back to and enters the hole in the frame or casing. During the revolution of the shaft a with the head or knob', the groove or shoulder u engaging the pawls fv, picks up the several number wheels in whatever position they may have been left, and turns the zeros thereon into line with one another opposite the sight opening in the casing. During this resetting operation the.

first or units wheel and the ratchet wheel n fixed thereto, are free to turn in the direction indicated by the arrow on Fig. 2, the pawls p yielding outward against the tension of the spring s and permitting the teeth of the ratchet wheel to pass the teeth on the pawls and the other number wheels turning in the same direction indicated by the arrow on Fig. 3 independently of the gears 7a, the internally serrated rims e of the number wheels slipping freely over the outer ends of the spring dogs a'.

lVith the double pawl arrangement hereinbefore described, for actuating the counting mechanism, the number wheels are turned but a short interval at a time or a twentieth of a revolution to each single throu7 of the vibrating arm t, and the overthrow due to the momentum of the moving parts and consequent uncertainty and inaccuracy of operation are avoided, particularly when the counter is connected With a high speed machine.

Various changes in the minor details of the construction and arrangement of parts may be made Without departure from the principle of the invention.

claim:

l. In a counting machine the combination of a ratchet Wheel, a rocker shaft arranged parallel with the axis of the ratchet Wheel and provided on one side with a projection, pawls arranged on opposite sides of said ratchet wheel and having oppositely directed teeth for engagement with teeth on opposite sides of the ratchet Wheel and elongated openings through which the rocker shaft loosely passes, said openings being formed in one of the longer sides of each with notches or oisets engaging with said projection, and a spring connecting said pawls and holding them in yielding engagement with the ratchet Wheel.

2. In a counting machine the combination of a ratchet Wheel, a rocker shaft arranged parallel With the aXis of the ratchet Wheel and provided with collars one of which has a pin projecting therefrom toward the other, a pair of paWls loosely confined on said shaft between said collars and having elongated openings through which the shaft passes7 said openings being formed in one of the longer sides of each with notches or offsets which engage With said pin, and a spring connecting said paWls and holding the same in yielding engagement with opposite sides of the ratchet Wheel.

In Witness whereof I hereto aiiiX my signature in presence of tivo Witnesses.

CHARLES H. JULIAN.

vWitnesses:

JOHN H. HURLEY, ALICE E. Goss.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

